Elena Rybakina is set to drop out of the WTA top 10 for the first time in over two years after missing the opportunity to defend her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
The 25-year-old Kazakh will lose 500 ranking points this week—the tally she earned from winning the Stuttgart title in 2024. As a result, her ranking will slip from No. 10 to No. 11 when the updated standings are released on Monday.
A Difficult Choice for Rybakina
Rybakina, who first broke into the top 10 in January 2023 and has since climbed as high as world No. 3, found herself in a scheduling bind this season. The Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers were held in Australia over the weekend, with matches played on hard courts. Representing Kazakhstan, Rybakina helped secure their place in the Finals by winning both of her singles matches.
That commitment, however, made it impossible for her to travel back to Europe in time to kick off her clay-court season in Stuttgart.
Criticism of a Packed Calendar
Following the qualifiers, Rybakina expressed frustration over the tight and conflicting tennis calendar, implying that she would have preferred to play Stuttgart had scheduling allowed it.
“The schedule is very packed, and it’s not easy to even fit the Billie Jean King Cup in,” she said. “Ideally, when we go to one part of the world, the events would be nearby. Now clay season is starting, and some players have already switched surfaces. Going back to hard courts and then back to clay is tricky.”
Despite the setback in rankings, Rybakina remains focused on the bigger picture—helping Kazakhstan succeed on the international stage.
Up Next for Rybakina:
She is expected to resume her clay-court campaign at the Madrid Open and Italian Open, before turning her attention to the French Open in Paris.
